What do Naval Engineering and Field Hockey have in common?

Mallory Swanson, Class of 2012

9/29/2010

When she first visited the Stevens campus as a high school senior, Mallory Swanson had field hockey on her mind. A natural athlete, Swanson came to Hoboken to learn more about the University’s team during a recruiting trip.

It was a visit to an actual class during that visit though that sealed Swanson’s desire to apply to Stevens and eventually become a Naval Engineering major and member of the field hockey team.

Swanson, a member of the class of 2012, said she always had an interest in science and math and it was during that fateful visit that she visited a Mechanics of Solids class taught by Dr. Khondokar Billah.

“It all just made sense,” she recalled. “I was able to visualize the course material, and I saw what I wanted to do.”

Combined with the overall feel of campus and the vibe from fellow students, Swanson said she can not imagine being anywhere else.

“It’s a small and tight knit community, and that’s awesome,” Swanson says. “I know everyone as I walk to class and that’s something really nice about the campus.”

On the field, Swanson was part of a championship winning field hockey team her freshman and sophomore years. This year the Ducks’ season is just getting underway, but Swanson, a junior captain, said the team is getting their act together and expects to see some checks in the win column with upcoming games.

Swanson said she finds her Stevens experience to be a unique blend of academics and athletics. “It is a great technical school with such a great sports program,” she said. “Athletics has always been a part of my life so it was ideal to find a school with both.”

In the classroom, Swanson has found her calling. She had been sailing with her parents for years, so an education in Naval Engineering has been a blending of her studies and hobby. She has spent time researching at the campus’ globally acclaimed Davidson Laboratory and hopes to secure a job with the Department of Defense or Office of Naval Research upon graduation.

“I like to run tests and analyze the results,” she said, “rather than sit behind a desk.”

One great moment, she said, was being able to take the full Mechanics of Solids class with Dr. Billah, the one that inspired her during her high school visit.

“He is one of my favorite professors,” said Swanson. “Overall he is a great teacher and part of why I came here. It makes me love Stevens more now that I am here.”